Review - - Love is an Open Book

Love is an Open Book

by Chandra Blumberg

Publisher: Canary Street Press

Release Date: August 12 2025

Reviewed by PJ

Blurring the line between fiction and reality...

Mia Brady never imagined her romance novels would become bestsellers, much less inspire a hit TV show. However, after signing a deal to write the final book of the series, she’s struck by a serious case of writer’s block. Her fans are clamoring for a passionate payoff, but Mia’s own experience with heartbreak—and current lack of real-life romance—is getting in the way. Do friends who become lovers ever truly have a happy ending?

Gavin Lane would like to think so. As Mia’s ride-or-die BFF, he’s been by her side through it all and convinced himself his crush on her is a thing of the past. He’s not about to let his feelings ruin their friendship, and never will. But things get complicated when Mia pitches a bold idea to help save her career: testing out tried-and-true love story tropes...together.

From workplace romance to fish-out-of-water, Mia and Gavin embark on a series of “experiments” to spark a little creativity—but they are not prepared for the flame that ignites between them. Does their friendship even stand a chance when pure fantasy suddenly becomes a little too real?

PJ's Thoughts:

Love is an Open Book is a fun, flirty, friends-to-lovers romcom that had me rooting for Gavin and Mia from the get-go. 

Imagine someone meeting the love of her life the same night she's had her heart broken by the good friend turned boyfriend who has just informed her he's in love with her sister. Is it any wonder Mia immediately friend-zoned Gavin and vowed to never risk that friendship by letting it slide into romance? Ten years later, she's still stubbornly clinging to that vow. In truth, she's terrified of changing the parameters of the best friendship (she refuses to call it a relationship) that's she's ever experienced.

Gavin, on the other hand, has been in love with Mia for the past ten years but he's hidden it well. He's not about to do anything to rock the boat of their friendship...until she needs his help figuring out how to navigate her reluctant best-friend fictional characters to a happy ending of their own. Suddenly, there are feelings on both sides but also those are some pretty sturdy walls Mia has built around her heart. Okay, so I'm Team Gavin all the way. Such a good guy! I love that the story unfolded from both Gavin's and Mia's points of view. Understanding his full range of emotions made me even more invested in his character. 

Someone who has held fast to her fear for ten years isn't about to toss it aside easily and the author does a good job of showing that in Mia's progression. Did I become impatient with her push and pull? Yes, but I also understood. She has a significant growth arc which the author illustrates by allowing us into Mia's thoughts as we watch her slowly open herself to new possibilities. 

I loved the supporting cast of friends and family (including adorable kittens!) who provide humor, emotional depth, and help both Gavin and Mia move forward in their relationship. The banter, both between the main couple and among friends, sparkles and kept me entertained. The messy history with certain family members and complications of changing relationship parameters mid-stream adds an emotional depth that gives authenticity and relatability to Gavin's and Mia's evolving relationship, and the HEA had me grinning with heartfelt delight. 

If you like friends-to-lovers contemporary romance with relatable characters, flirty banter, humor, heart, and happy endings, give Love is an Open Book by Chandra Blumberg a try or any of the books written by this author. I've enjoyed them all. 

Review - - The Summer We Kept Secrets

The Summer We Kept Secrets

by Hope Holloway and Cecelia Scott

The Destin Diaries - Book 4

Publisher: Self published

Release Date: August 15, 2025

Reviewed by PJ

Seven summers. Two families. One beach house. And a diary that holds all the secrets.

As the sun beats down on Destin, life at the Summer House takes a dramatic turn—starting with its tiniest new arrival. As Jonah settles into life as a single father of a newborn, he has to imagine a future he never dared to dream. When his seemingly perfect sister shows up with a few secrets of her own, the entire family dynamic is forced to shift.

Tessa is stepping into a new chapter—one that asks her to choose between playing it safe or taking the kind of risk that changes everything. And when Kate returns to Destin to see if her spark with Eli still burns, they face a test that could easily mean the end of this budding romance.

Meanwhile, Maggie must confront her deepest fears as she and Jo Ellen set off on a secret adventure that is equal parts heartstopping and hilarious.

In a season of sunshine and second chances, some secrets are meant to stay buried. But others will come to light and bring these two intertwined families ever closer...and forever changed.

PJ's Thoughts:

Each book in this series has taken me on an emotional journey filled with laughter, tears, heartbreak, hope, and love. And, each book in this series has left me eager to return to this beautiful Destin beach house for more time with the Lawson and Wylie families. I have no idea what I'm going to do when I turn the final page of the seventh book. I guess I'll have to go back to book one and read them all again. I love these characters that much. 

The Summer We Kept Secrets continues the evolving relationships that have grown over the course of the first three books while also introducing course changes that will impact all of our characters. The authors have developed these characters to the point where they all feel like friends which, of course, heightens the emotional impact of every shift and obstacle life throws their way. I am so invested in each and every one of them!

One of the facets I love about this series is the attention given to each generation. Whether it's a young child struggling in school, twenty-somethings searching for their life path, middle-age couples testing romantic waters for a second time, seniors setting off on unexpected adventures, or an unexpected reunion that may (or may not) lead to a fifty-something woman finding love for the first time, each generation is given their due. 

In this book, I especially loved the time allotted to the two family matriarchs and their secret adventure. I laughed, cringed, laughed more, and sighed with deep satisfaction as two women (my age) challenged themselves, expanded their horizons, faced their fears, and opened their minds to new possibilities. 

I can't wait to discover what Holloway and Scott have planned for all of their characters in book five.  As each book in this series builds upon on the previous ones, I strongly recommend reading them in order. 

Review - - My Best Friend's Earl

My Best Friend's Earl

by Bethany Bennett

Bluestocking Booksellers - Book 2

Publisher: Forever

Release Date: August 12, 2025

Reviewed by PJ

 

A bold bookseller tries to matchbreak her friend’s engagement to an earl . . . until she finds herself falling for him instead.

The one thing Constance Martin wants most to avoid is a boring life. She walks her cat with a leash in Hyde Park and even called off her wedding at the altar to stop what would have been a monotonous marriage. So when an aristocratic friend comes into the store asking for help throwing over her fiancé, Constance is both sympathetic and eager for the excitement to come. What could be more fun than plotting ways to get a stuffy—but very handsome—earl to break an engagement?

    Oliver Vincent, Earl of Southwyn, likes his orderly life of duty and logic. Everything’s falling into place; all that’s left is marrying the girl next door. Except the girl next door is increasingly reluctant. But marriage is a business deal, after all, and Oliver is determined to keep moving forward with the plan. If only he wasn’t so distracted by her friend—a stunning woman best described as chaos incarnate. She thinks marriage should be an adventure, and he views it as a transaction. But Oliver can’t seem to remember the downsides of falling when Constance is near. . .

PJ's Thoughts:

The first time Constance and Oliver hit the page together in Good Duke Gone Wild (book one), I knew they were meant for one another. Yes, they were both betrothed at the time (to other people) so I had no idea how Bennett would bring it about but I was confident it would happen. And, if it didn't I was going to be very disappointed. Fortunately, my hopes and Ms. Bennett's plans were on the same track. 

I couldn't wait to get my hands on My Best Friend's Earl. I love cross-class romance. I love opposites attract. And, I especially love the concept of a matchbreaker with deliciously devious ideas (feral cats, anyone?) for helping her friend break an unwanted betrothal, never expecting to fall for the uptight (but is he, really?) man herself. 

I loved watching Oliver unravel from a starchy, honor-bound man, resigned to marrying a young woman he doesn't love (who considers him a brother) to a salty, secret cat-loving man enthralled with a woman who crashes into his life with adventure, laughter, and chaos. He's one of the good guys, as illustrated by how he handles the dismantling of the unwanted betrothal and the wellbeing of his betrothed.

Constance is a complex character with what today would be termed ADHD who Bennett (also with ADHD) brings to life with authenticity and care, showing the numerous ways in which her daily life is impacted by it. The details make her a relatable character with whom it is easy to relate, even if the reader has no personal experience with the disorder. I adored her, her family relationships, and, especially, her evolving relationship with Oliver. 

These two had me cheering them on the entire way - even as I had no idea how they would end up together - but Bennett had one more ingenious idea up her sleeve that brought about two happy endings and one totally outsmarted villain. I do so love it when a plan comes together. 

My Best Friend's Earl can be read as a standalone but I enjoyed it much more for having read Good Duke Gone Wild first. I think reading the books in order gives readers a deeper look into Constance, in particular, and a better understanding of her character. Both books have my enthusiastic recommendation. 

Winner - - Better Than Friends

 

The randomly chosen winner

of a print copy of

Better Than Friends by Jill Shalvis is:

Patricia B

Congratulations!

Please send your full name and mailing address to:

theromancedish (at) gmail (dot) com

Review - - Five Alarm Love

Five Alarm Love

by Jillian David

Yukon Valley, Alaska Hospital Series - Book 3

Publisher: Tule Publishing

Release Date: August 7, 2025

Reviewed by PJ

Lives—and hearts—are on the line in Yukon Valley, Alaska.

Yukon Valley Fire Chief Tuli Sampson has spent years protecting his hometown, but the only thing he’s ever wanted to save is Louise Wright’s heart. His childhood best friend has always been his anchor, steady and unyielding like the Yukon River. Now, with his career thriving and his charm earning him fame as a tourist influencer, Tuli is ready to risk it all for the woman who’s been his forever girl.

Louise Wright, a shy and dedicated medic, has spent her life dreaming of more—more courage, more love, and maybe even Tuli. He’s always been her secret wish, the one man who could make her heart race faster than a snowstorm. But just as their undeniable chemistry sparks into something real, Lou receives devastating news that threatens to shatter their future.

Caught between her own happiness and Tuli’s, Louise chooses his. But in a town where matchmakers never quit and love runs deeper than the salmon-filled rivers, can these childhood friends turn years of longing into a lifetime together?

PJ's Thoughts:

I've thoroughly enjoyed the first two books in this series but admit that I've been eagerly anticipating Tuli's story the whole time. Happy to say it did not disappoint. 

If you enjoy small-town, friends-to-lovers romance with a good-hearted hero (with a Golden Retriever personality), a shy heroine who has been publicly humiliated by her ex, meddling friends and family, and a twisty mystery (seems like someone is out to derail the whole town), all set in beautiful - but treacherous - rural Alaska, give Five Alarm Love a try. Then circle back and get the first two books in the series too. I enthusiastically recommend them all.

Winners - - August Coming Attractions

 

The randomly chosen winners 

from the August Coming Attractions post are:

Sharlene Wegner

Bad Luck Bridesmaid by Alison Rose Greenberg

dstoutholcomb

Mr. Nice Spy by Tiana Smith

Congratulations!

Please send your full name and mailing address to:

theromancedish (at) gmail (dot) com

Review & Giveaway - - He Falls First

He Falls First

by Jill Shalvis

Colburn Brothers - Book 1

Publisher: That's What She Said Publishing, Inc.

Release Date: August 5, 2025

Reviewed by PJ

No one is going to convince her to fall in love again...

Ryder Colburn has his hands full running the family business and caring for the ailing father who’s a virtual stranger from the cold, heavy-handed man he used to be. He’s got zero free time for hobbies or women. Or so he thinks until one walks into his life… and the path of an oncoming car.

Ryder doesn’t mind playing the hero for the skittish, scarred chef Penny. Maybe it’s the secrets in her eyes or the scar on her chin. Whatever the reason, he’s compelled to get closer.

Penny’s learned her lesson and now she’s paying the price. That’s why she’s sharing a dilapidated house in a tiny California town with her feisty grandmother and tween brother living off the leftovers from her catering job. It’s a far cry from her dream life. But who needs dreams… or love… or sex when there’s amateur plumbing projects to tackle and breakfast casseroles to bake?

One thing’s for sure, she’s never falling in love again. Not even with the sexy, snarky contractor who keeps testing the walls she’s built.

PJ's Thoughts:

Jill Shalvis is back and she's better than ever. He Falls First launches a new series from Shalvis featuring a family of four siblings with an emotionally fraught background. This first book is both sweet and steamy, with sparkling banter, complicated family dynamics, humor, emotional depth and a swoon-worthy happily ever after. 

I love the community of characters Shalvis has built within this book. Both Penny's and Ryder's families offer abundant opportunity for messy emotions, comic relief, growth, hope, and healing. Of course, Penny and Ryder are at the center of the story but their supporting cast is richly textured, both in moving the central relationship forward as well as introducing sibling personalities and setting the stage for future stories. 

Ryder is such a good guy. And hot. Did I mention he's hot? I really loved how caring and protective he was of Penney and how their deepening relationship helped them both begin to heal. I also loved Penney's commitment to her family, and her determination to move forward with her life no matter how difficult. I'm fully on board with their romance and looking forward to watching it continue to blossom as the series progresses. 

A strong element of this book is surviving abuse. In the case of the Colburns, it's made more complicated due to the fact that the man who abused them (their father) is now completely at their mercy due to a life-changing stroke. Having been through two severe strokes with family members, I was impressed by the authenticity and care used by the author in describing this character's current personality and actions without erasing his past actions. It's a complex storyline that raises a number of thought-provoking issues. 

If you enjoy immersive contemporary romances that pull you into the characters' lives, make you laugh, make you think, maybe shed a tear or two, and celebrate hard-earned happy endings, check out He Falls First by Jill Shalvis. The fact that there are more Colburn brothers waiting in the wings for their own story is a happy, cherry-on-the-top bonus! 

Have you read Jill Shalvis?

Do you enjoy a series that features siblings?

Penney turns out some mouth-watering breakfast delights in this book. Do you have a favorite breakfast item to make? Or, if you don't bake, what's your favorite item to order?

One randomly chosen person who posts a comment before 11:00 PM (EDT), August 7 will receive a print copy of Better Than Friends by Jill Shalvis. 

U.S. only

Must be 18

Winner - - July Review Roundup

 

The randomly chosen winner

of a print copy of

The Muse of Maiden Lane and Rules for Ruin is:

Meg

Congratulations!

Please send your full name and mailing address to:

theromancedish (at) gmail (dot) com

Coming Attractions & Giveaway - - August

 

Welcome to August! I'm still trying to wrap my head around the fact that summer is almost over. Teachers in my area are already back to work and students will be in the classrooms in a little over a week. I do have to admit though, I'm looking forward to some autumn temperatures. It's been a very hot summer here and I've missed my pool-side reading time. Here are the books we'll be talking about at The Romance Dish this month.

First up this month is a review of He Falls First by Jill Shalvis on Tuesday, August 5. This contemporary romance launches a new family-centric series for Shalvis and I am here for it. Expect emotion, humor, and heartwarming romance. 

Thursday, August 7 brings a review of Five Alarm Love, book three in Jillian David's Yukon Valley, Alaska Hospital contemporary romance series. This small town romance features favorite secondary character, Tuli, Yukon Valley's Fire Chief, a man with a Golden Retriever personality and a decades long unrequited love for paramedic, Louise. 

Don't miss my review of My Best Friend's Earl by Bethany Bennett on Tuesday, August 12. This second book in Bennett's Bluestocking Booksellers historical romance series features sparkling banter, unexpected romance, and a most unusual love triangle. 

Friday, August 15 brings a review of The Summer We Kept Secrets, the fourth book in the Destin Diaries series co-written by Hope Holloway and Cecelia Scott. Expect laughter, heartache, romance, faith, and the strengthening bonds of family and friendship in the latest installment. 

Stop by on Thursday, August 14 for a review of Love is an Open Book, a fun and flirty romcom by Chandra Blumberg. This friends-to-lovers journey had me smiling from start to finish. 

Tuesday, August 19 brings a review of A Promise of Forever by Sheryl Lister. I have thoroughly enjoyed this series with friendship, food, and romantic journeys at its heart. This time, Lister brings readers a marriage in crisis story with a couple's heartwarming second chance to rediscover love. 

On Monday, August 25 I'll be sharing my thoughts about A Hero's Return by Carrie Nichols. This emotional contemporary romance features a former military pilot and a widowed single mom with valid reasons for steering clear of her grumpy landlord. 

I've loved Liana De la Rosa's intrepid Luna sisters and their journeys to love. On Tuesday, August 26, I'll be sharing my thoughts about the third and final book in this series, Gabriela and His Grace. If you enjoy enemies-to-lovers and road (or, in this case, boat) romances with beautifully detailed cultural rep, you won't want to miss this one. 

Stop by on Wednesday, August 27 for a review of Erica Ridley's A Waltz on the Wild Side. The entire Wynchester family is on hand for this final book in Ridley's The Wild Wynchesters historical romance series. Expect adventure, humor, witty dialogue, and hard-won happy endings. 

Wrapping up the month on Thursday, August 28 will be Hellie's review of The Gilded Heiress by Joanna Shupe. Expect secrets, betrayal, and steamy romance in this Gilded Age novel set in New York City. 

That's what's on our schedule (so far) for the month of  August.

What are you looking forward to reading this month? 

One randomly chosen reader who posts a comment before 11:00 PM (EDT), August 5 will receive a print copy of Mr. Nice Spy by Tiana Smith.

One randomly chosen reader who posts a comment before 11:00 PM (EDT), August 5 will receive a print copy of Bad Luck Bridesmaid by Alison Rose Greenberg. 

U.S. only

Must be 18

Reviews & Giveaway - - July 2025

 

July brought a nice mix of entertaining reads here at The Romance Dish. We reviewed twelve books that ranged from small-town contemporary to Victorian historical to paranormal to women's fiction to hockey romance to Jane Austen retellings (with a Korean twist) to second chances in New Orleans to messy family relationships in South Carolina to a story set in Ireland! There were two novellas, a debut, three new-to-me authors, and heartwarming stories from auto-buy favorites. It was a good month for books!

Did you read any of the books we covered this month? 

Did you discover any new or new-to-you authors in July?

What were your favorite July reads?

One randomly chosen person who posts a comment before 11:00 PM, August 3 will receive a print copy of The Muse of Maiden Lane and Rules for Ruin by Mimi Matthews. 

*U.S. only

*Must be 18

Review - - Bad Luck Bride

Bad Luck Bride

by Laura Lee Guhrke

Scandal at the Savoy - Book 3

Publisher: Forever

Release Date: July 29, 2025

Reviewed by PJ

 

Third time’s a charm? For Lady Kay Matheson, it had better be. Her first engagement was a failed elopement; the second ruined by gossip about the first. Resigned to be a disgraced spinster, no one is more surprised than Kay when an American millionaire offers for her hand. Just when she’s convinced she will finally make it down the aisle, the scoundrel who broke her heart arrives with his own fiancée.

Devlin Sharpe has finally become a success. He has wealth, connections, and a lovely bride-to-be—and he won’t let an old flame derail all his hard work. But it turns out time has not dampened his grudge toward Kay—or the desire sparking between them. And one searing kiss threatens to ruin their wedding plans and their futures, and make Kay the bad-luck bride all over again.

PJ's Thoughts:

I've been eagerly anticipating this third book in Laura Lee Guhrke's Scandal at the Savoy series and am happy to say it was worth the wait. Filled with betrayal, second chances, family dynamics, and a lovers-to-enemies-to-lovers romance, it's a story that kept me engaged from start to finish.

I love the Victorian setting of this series with its more modern sensibilities and characters - heroines in particular - with more independence and opportunity. However, society still holds sway in London and sometimes women, for the sake of family, are forced to follow their heads rather than their hearts. I really enjoyed watching Kay and Devlin work through the many emotions that rise to the fore when Devlin's return to London brings them face to face at the Savoy. The sparks between these are strong enough to set fire to the place. But, wow, there's a whole boatload of messiness to wade through. Speaking of messy, did I mention their respective fiancés?

These characters kept me engaged from start to a very surprising finish. I have to admit, I had no idea how Guhrke was going to pull off a happy ending for Devlin and Kay with everything that was at stake but she did. In the process, she gave me a story with sparkling dialogue, snappy banter, emotional depth, a few twists, a terrific supporting cast, and a hard-won, happy ending. 

While characters from the first two books in this series appear in Bad Luck Bride, you can easily begin with book three without missing a beat. I do, however, enthusiastically recommend all three books in the series. 

Review - - Give Me a Reason

Give Me a Reason: A Novel

by Jayci Lee

Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin

Release Date: July 29, 2025

Reviewed by PJ

In this modern retelling of Jane Austen's PERSUASION, a K-drama actress gets her second chance at love with the man she left to save her family, if only she can work up the courage to risk her heart on forever…one last time.

For ten years, Anne Lee told herself that Frederick Nam was her past. To save her father from bankruptcy, she dropped out of UC San Diego to pursue an acting career in Korea. Anne had to stop Frederick from following her and ruining his future. Breaking up with him was the best way she could love him.

After Anne left him, Frederick spent years loving her, missing her, and hating her until he decided to live his life for himself. He followed his dream and became a firefighter in Culver City. He didn’t need romance. He had his work and his friends.

When she returns to Los Angeles, Anne and Frederick find themselves in the same wedding—she as her cousin’s bridesmaid and he as his friend’s groomsman. Even though he is cold and distant with her, Anne can no longer deny that she never got over him. Not even close. As for Frederick, needing to take care of Anne is a habit he can't seem to kick, but that doesn't mean he has to forgive her.

PJ's Thoughts:

I love a second-chance romance. Give me that trope with a Korean-American cast of characters, dysfunctional family, firehouse chosen family, and a K-drama actress/Fire Captain main couple all wrapped up in a story by Jayci Lee that's a modern retelling of Jane Austen's Persuasion? I couldn't wait to dive in!

I've enjoyed every book I've read by Jayci Lee and this one was no exception. I love how she immersed me into this Korean-American extended family and their culture. My heart ached for Anne and the way she was treated by her father and sister, not only in the present but also in the past when she sacrificed her happiness for those who would never have done the same for her. I appreciated the time Lee took to show the inner workings of Anne's family and the impacts - both intended and unintended - their actions caused. 

Giving readers a dual POV gave me insight into Frederick that I might not have had if this story had only unfolded within Anne's frame of reference. I could feel the pain he suffered in the past and how that had shaped him and his relationships in the present. There were times when I wanted both Frederick and Anne to get out of their heads and talk to one another but I also think watching them work through their issues internally helped me understand them better and be more appreciative of their relationship when they finally open their hearts again. 

Lee does a good job of blending emotion, humor, and slow-burn romance in this book. I enjoyed the friendships depicted, especially Frederick's friends and how staunchly they protected and supported him. I also appreciated the love and support among Anne, her younger sister, and her cousins as she reestablished herself within the family unit after her return from Korea. Certain events added elements of awkwardness, humor, and angst to the journey which, for me, gave it more of an authentic feel. I'm glad Anne cleared the air with one family member but would have liked to have seen her do the same with another as well. Still, I felt like she found her strength and would not be walked over again. 

If you enjoy Austen retellings or just enjoy a good, second-chance, contemporary romance with intriguing characters, family dynamics, and Korean-American representation, add Give Me a Reason by Jayci Lee to your reading list.